Cancer occurs throughout the world, but cancer risk varies widely by regions, population groups and countries, suggesting geographic, environmental, and cultural implications. In the United States, African Americans (AA) have the highest cancer incidence and the lowest survival rates. The reasons for the disparity in cancer incidence and mortality rates among this population group have not been clearly elucidated, but dietary factors are implicated. The overall objective of the study is to better describe and understand the dietary habits, and the barriers, which prevent AA from adopting eating habits consistent with the dietary guidelines. Specifically, the project aims to. i) assess nutrition knowledge and selected dietary beliefs related to cancer, in rural, urban, low- and middle-income AA populations; ii) identify perceived barriers to the adoption of the eating behaviors consistent with the dietary guidelines, in rural, urban, low- and middle-income AA populations; and iii) define the food preferences, practices and purchasing patterns, in rural, urban, low- and middle-income AA populations. The proposed study would be confined to: i) college students from a HBCU in a rural, Alabama setting; ii) volunteers from a low-income, rural, Alabama community/ies; iii) college students from a HBCU in an urban, Georgia (Atlanta) setting; and iv) volunteers from a low-income, urban, Georgia (Atlanta) community/ies. Participants would be recruited through advertisements in campus newspapers, through university extension educators, social service workers, community-based organizations and Black churches. A cross sectional survey, utilizing in-depth, structured interviews would be conducted among adults aged 18 to 30 years old, in selected HBCUs and communities in Alabama and Georgia (N = 1,200 volunteers; n = 300/group). The questionnaire would elicit demographic information, cancer-related food and nutrition knowledge, food preferences, food practices and purchasing patterns. It would be reviewed, pilot-tested and administered by trained interviewers. Descriptive statistics and analysis of variance, and Fisher's LSD would be used to analyzes the data. The findings could be utilized to guide the development of community-based, culturally-specific, cancer risk reduction nutrition intervention strategies that would better meet the needs of AA, inform policy and funding decisions for cancer risk reduction programs for the diverse AA population.